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The Advocates for Human Rights Condemns Reported Biden Administration Plans to Reinstate Family Detention

March 7, 2023 

Minneapolis, MN - The Advocates for Human Rights expressed deep concern at news that the Biden administration is considering the reinstatement of family detention. This is the latest attempt by the administration to deter people from exercising their right to seek asylum. The United States dramatically ramped up the detention of families beginning in 2014, imprisoning mothers traveling with infants and children to widespread criticism. These ineffective and harmful immigration detention practices are particularly concerning as relates to use for children and families who are uniquely impacted by detention experiences.   

"The Biden Administration is turning to harsh, inhumane, and illegal policies that violate the law as well as our moral commitment as a nation," said Michele Garnett McKenzie, deputy director of The Advocates for Human Rights. "The United States must not restrict the right to seek asylum, violate the right to family unity, or engage in arbitrary and prolonged detention. Family detention is categorically at odds with our commitment to human rights and rule of law." Experts have documented the unique harms wrought by family detention, which has caused significant psychological damage to children. 

"We call on the Biden administration to immediately refute these reports, make a commitment to uphold our human rights obligations and values, and prioritize policies that protect individuals rather than punishing them for exercising their rights," McKenzie concluded. 

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